Kayaking Safety - The EssentialsWatch this short video to learn how youcan insure that your paddling experiencewill be relatively safe for all involved.Training Canoe Newbies Over the years, Cliff Jacobson has formed afew tests to get new canoeists ready to run whitewater rivers. Read all about them.

Reviews for Quoddy Lite Kayak by Lincoln Canoe and Kayak

Love the ease of carrying this light weight boat, however, over the years the seat has become so uncomfortable that within 10 minutes in the boat my back starts to ache and my legs start to go numb. I am not alone in this as my friend has the same boat and is having same experience

Review: The Quoddy Light's performance is reminiscent of a much longer kayak. It tracks well for a 12'6" craft and does not shy away from agile, clean, and predicable turns. Its overall stability is forgiving and allows for an enjoyable paddling experience for...

My wife and I are experienced sailors but new to kayaking, and have lusted after kayaks for many years. After researching and trying out a bunch of different kayaks over the course of two months -- plastic, composite, sit-on-top, decked, recreational, touring, ocean, singles, tandems, short, long -- we settled on the Lincoln Quoddy. We could not be more delighted with our decision!

First, let me point out that we got the fiberglass composite model -- no Kevlar in ours -- which brought the price down to US$1100 and the weight up to 35 pounds. This is still a good 20 pounds lighter than plastic models like the Pongo, and for us was a good balance of cost versus weight. Would we like the Kevlar model? Sure, but for us the 5-7 pound difference was not as important as the $1000.

Having said this, our Quoddies are still light boats, and this light weight is hugely important. The boat is very responsive and easy to paddle for hours at a time, and it's no problem hoisting the boats on to the roof racks on our car at the end of the day. My kids also love to paddle the boats, and I'm sure a big part of this is that they are able to do so easily because of the weight. Moreover, because of the fore and aft bulkheads and the light weight, if you swamp the boat, it's still easy to right and drain, even in the water. The boat is also very stiff -- stiffer than the plastic boats we tried -- so more of the energy you expend paddling goes into forward motion. It's just a pleasure to paddle!

It terms of hull shape, the boats do quite well in 1-2 foot chop and swells, and are easy to paddle against decent headwinds of 20 knots or so. I haven't surfed the boats on to a beach, but working through waves away from shore is no problem. We haven't pushed them extremely hard, but neither have we babied them, and the boats thus far don't seem to suffer any performance or handling problems in terms of inshore, coastal, or lake environments. Another aspect of the hull shape is the comparatively narrow beam compared to most of the plastic boats we looked at in this class. This not only makes the boat easy to paddle and provides for good tracking, but it also makes things easier on my back. Specifically, I had back surgery last year, and I found that wider boats required me to bend sideways more to reach a good paddling angle. For me, paddling the Quoddy is a very comfortable reach.

Finally, the boats appear to be well made both inside and out, and we have gotten many compliments on how pretty they are in their matching Lincoln teal color!

I have been paddling for 3 full years now. I purchased the Quoddy Lite the beginning of last season (2003). I went from a heavy 50 lb touring kayak with a large cockpit to the Lincoln Touring with a small cockpit. I wanted something lighter that I could manuever myself ,if I had to, and also something that I could learn to play around with and have some fun. Maybe learn to roll! (I'm not quite as young as I used to be). The Quoddy Lite I purchased is made of kevlar and fiberglass and has a small, 17" cockpit. It's overall length is 12' 6" long. It didn't take too long before I fell in love with it. One problem that I had adjusting was getting in and out of the kayak with out dumping it! I still have and occassional swim without planniing on it. The Kayak is quite easy to maneuver and is fast. I think the Quoddy Lite is a good kayak and I would recommend it. I decided to try and kayak over a beaver damn while fighting a strong courant. After quite a while of fighting with the courant, I WON! If I had been in my old kayak, I never would have had the muscle power to do it. I was so proud of myself. I am out state and the sales staff made the the whole purchase go quite smoothly. If I had any questions, they were there to answer and mailed items to my home if I needed anything. I met the gentlemen who made my kayak and he is quite interesting and dedicated to his profession. Good Luck to eveyone who is purchising kayaks this year, it is a great hobby.

My husband and I purchased the Quoddy Lite in the spring time of 2000. I have been kayaking for 12 years and let me tell you this kayak is top of the line for quality. No matter if your in rough or calm waters it performs like no other... It is extremely light and very durable. This kayak is excellent beginners up to the pros. It is very fast and I found very comfortable. I have three teenage children abd they also enjoy using the boat. I paid twenty-three hundred for mine which is surprisingly cheap for what you get out of it. I plan to buy three more kayaks at Christmas time for my children and my husband. The Quoddy Lite is a DREAM COME TRUE!

I had heard of the Quoddy long before I paddled it. I finally got a chance this September. I had to have it! I paddle mostly on the Westport River in Massachusetts. I have been out in considerable winds, perhaps twenty knots, and found the boat a dream. It tracked very well into strong headwinds, and was so easy on me, that when I got to my put in spot, I just kept on paddling! I had a power boat pass me putting out a good wake. The driver stopped and yelled out an apollogy. I smiled answering "No problem!" I enjoyed it, even my passenger, a Pekinese dog, didn't seem to mind. I don't know if it is just my weak posture, but my only criticism is of the back rest. I haven't found a comfortable setting for it yet. I will work it out though. I have a deep yearning to be paddling in this boat! In fact I wish I had another for guests!

We bought our Quoddy Lites late in the season so we only had a chance to try them out twice at about three hours each time. As soon as my paddle took it's first scoop through the water, I knew this boat could move. It tracks beautifully and is very fast. I love the weight of 30 lbs. and also find the seat and back band very comfortable, once you have it adjusted just for you. This kayak is a keeper and I look forward to many years of use. Can't wait for spring now.

Excellent boat for exploring quiet water. It is agile and speedy for its size. It tracks true, though I have not experienced anything more than moderate wind conditions. At only 30 lbs., comprised of glass and kevlar, what more can I say about ease of car-topping and portaging. With a beam of 25", this boat is in a different class than beamier boats of this length like the Pungo It encourages the development of sea kayaking skills to appreciate its full potential. My only negative with this boat is that the standard backband becomes really uncomfortable after about 30 minutes of paddling and I had to get a seat upgrade. All in all, though, I thoroughly enjoy paddling this boat -- as does my 12 year old daughter.

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